TAMIL NADU NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY
(A University established under the Tamil Nadu Act No. 9 of 2012)
Dindigul Main Road, Navalur Kuttapattu
Tiruchirappalli 620 027
Tamil Nadu, India
B.A. LL.B. (H) / B.COM. LL.B. (H)
COURSE SYLLABUS
INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
Course Objectives
The course is introducing intended to develop a core understanding of the rules regulating
international trade in view of the Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG). The
codification process of the international trade regime has brought the concrete multilateral
trade institution, i.e., World Trade Organisation (WTO) and dispute settlement adjudication
process amongst the member states. The WTO and its various annexure govern conditions
under which governments can restrict imports of, to legitimately protect human, plant and
animal health. The rules set forth the conditions under which governments can restrict
exports to conserve exhaustible natural resources. Students are encouraged to critically
evaluate the position and relevance international institutions in the international politics. The
students are also encouraged to evaluate the working systems with other dispute settlement
body in international law by referring to various judicial decisions.
Learning Outcomes
● Students will be encouraged to identify the foundational theories of international
economic law
● Students will able to show their knowledge of sources and evolution of international
trade law and its institutions
● Students shall be able to understand and the working of World Trade Organization
Dispute Settlement Body in international trade dispute and enforcement procedure.
● Students shall be encouraged to explore internship and job avenue in international
economic and financial institutions.
Teaching Methods
● Lecture Method.
● Discussion on certain News Reports
● Case Study method.
MODULE 1
Origin and Development - Theories - unification of International Trade Law - United
Conventions - Bilateral Investment Treaties - Transnational Corporations - Electronic
Business Transactions - Elements of International Taxation
MODULE 2
Structure and functions of International Economic Institutions - International Trade
Organisations (ITO) - General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) - International
Monetary Fund (IMF) - International bank for Reconstruction and Development ( IBRD) -
Brettonwood Conference - Formation and Various rounds of World Trade Organisation
(WTO)
MODULE 3
Structure and function of the WTO - WTO and covered Agreements - Subsidies - Dumping
and Anti-dumping - General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) - Trade Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) - Trade Related Investment Measures
(TRIMs) – Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) – Sanitary and Phytisabnirary Measures (SPS)
– United Nations Committee on Trade and Environment (UNCTE) – United Nations
Committee on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - Summit of the WTO - Sustainable
Development Goals
MODULE 4
Regional Agreements and international Trade Regime - Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Clause
- South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) - Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) - European Union (EU) - Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) - North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Agreement
on South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
MODULE 5
Dispute Settlement and international trade Regime - Alternate Dispute Resolution Settlement
Mechanism - United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) -
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanism - Dispute Settlement Body in WTO -
Appellate Body - Trade and Environment controversies - Enforcement and Compliance.
Essential Readings
1. Andreas F. Lowenfield, International Economic Law(1stEdn., Oxford University Press
2008).
2. Johnson H. Jackson, Jurisprudence of GATT and the WTO (1stedn., Cambridge
University Press 2000).
3. AutarKrishenKoul, AGuide to the WTO and GATT: Economics, Law and Politics(Kluwer
International Law 2006).
4. JayantaBagachi,World Trade Organisation: An Indian Perspective(Eastern Law House
Pvt. Ltd. 2000).
5. Ernst - UlrichPetersmann,The GATT/WTO Dispute Settlement Systems: International
Law, International Organisations and Dispute Settlement(Kluwer Law International
1997).
6. Anupam Goyal, The WTO and International Environmental Law: Towards
Conciliation(Oxford University Press 2008).
7. Carlos M. Correa,IPRs, The WTO and Developing Countries(Zed Books Ltd. 2000).
8. D.M. Dayand Bernardette Griffin, The Law of International Trade(3rdedn.,Butterworths
and Lexis Nexis2003).
9. R.K. Gupta, World Trade Organisation(2 Volumes, Atlantic Publishers 2006).
10. Indira Carr &Peter Stone, International Trade Law(5thedn.,Routledge 2014).
11. Jason Chauh, Law of International Trade (Sweet and Maxwell 2013).
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